How to Restart Windows File Explorer (Quick and Easy)

If your File Explorer is acting up or you’ve made changes to your system that aren’t showing up, a quick restart of File Explorer can solve the problem. This can save you from having to restart your entire computer. Luckily, restarting File Explorer is easy, and there are a couple of ways to do it!

In this post, I’ll show you two simple methods to restart File Explorer in Windows: one using the Task Manager and another using the Command Prompt.

Why Restart File Explorer?

File Explorer is the tool you use to navigate your files and folders in Windows. Sometimes, it may become unresponsive, crash, or fail to display updates after changes (like adding a new desktop shortcut). Instead of rebooting your entire computer, a quick restart of File Explorer will refresh the system without closing any of your open apps.

Method 1: Restart File Explorer Using Task Manager

This is the most common and straightforward way to restart File Explorer. Follow these steps:

1. Open Task Manager:
   • Right-click on the taskbar (the bar at the bottom of your screen) and choose Task Manager from the menu.
   • Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open it directly.
2. Find Windows Explorer:
   • Once Task Manager is open, make sure you’re on the Processes tab. This tab shows you everything currently running on your computer.
   • Scroll down until you see Windows Explorer in the list of processes.
3. Restart Windows Explorer:
   • Click on Windows Explorer to select it, then click the Restart button in the bottom-right corner of Task Manager.
   • This will momentarily close and reopen File Explorer. You’ll notice your taskbar and desktop icons disappear briefly, then return as Explorer restarts.

And that’s it! File Explorer should now be refreshed, and any issues should be resolved.

Method 2: Restart File Explorer Using Command Prompt

If you’re comfortable using the Command Prompt (don’t worry, it’s easy!), you can also restart File Explorer this way. It’s especially useful if Task Manager isn’t responding.

1. Open Command Prompt:
   • Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
   • Type cmd and press Enter. This will open the Command Prompt window.
2. Close File Explorer:
   • In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:
     taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
   • This will close File Explorer. You’ll see your taskbar and desktop icons disappear.
3. Restart File Explorer:
   • After closing it, type this command to restart File Explorer:
     start explorer.exe
   • Press Enter, and File Explorer will open again, along with your taskbar and desktop icons.

Conclusion

Restarting File Explorer is a handy trick that can help solve minor glitches without rebooting your whole system. Whether you use Task Manager or the Command Prompt, you now have two easy ways to refresh File Explorer and get things running smoothly again.

If you found this guide helpful, be sure to share it with others who might need it! Stay tuned for more simple tips to make your Windows experience even better.